Multiple cable connector



Aug. 30, 1960 A. B. GUNTHEL, JR 2,950,936 MULTIPLE CABLE CONNECTORFiled- April 9. 1958 United States Patent MULTIPLE CABLE CONNECTORAlfred B. Gunthel, Jr., Sea Cliff, N.Y., assignor to DossertManufacturing Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledApr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,430

7 Claims. (Cl. 287-75) This invention relates in general to electricalcable connectors, and particularly to a new and useful multiple unitconnector having improved cable forming clamping portions for joiningcables thereto.

Previously with cables of this type great difliculty has beenexperienced in making suitable high-strength connections, especiallywith cables which were quite rigid and not easy to bend. Usually it wasnecessary to provide a bending tool which would bend the cable to theexact configuration of the connector to which the cable was to bejoined.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a connector havingone or more novel clamping members, which include a mandrel-like formingsurface over which a cable may be positioned and bent to conform to theconfiguration of the clamping section. The cable need only be positionedbetween two mating clamping sections at its free end and then bentaround the configuration of the upper part of the clamping section untilit conforms with the mating configurations of the two sections.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedmultiple unit connector.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple unitconnector having at least one clamping portion including a surface overwhich a cable to be connected may be bent and formed for clampingtherein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple unitelectrical connector which is simple in design, rugged in constructionand economical to manufacture.

For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantagesand specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to theaccompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there isillustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector constructed inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the connector shown in Fig. 1 with portionsbroken away for clarity;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse ofiset partial section and partial elevationtaken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodiedtherein includes a three-unit electrical connector generally designatedmade of suitable electrically conductive material. The connector 10includes a body portion 12 having three separate cable positioning andclamping portions generally designated A, B and C.

The portion B of the body 12 is provided with a curved recess 14 uponwhich is usually positioned a main or run cable 16. A securing member orclamp generally designated 18 includes an elongated cross piece 20having a curved recess 22, 22 formed at each end of the under- 2,950,936Patented Aug. 30, 1960 side thereof for positioning over the cable 16.The central portion of the clamp 18 is arched to permit biasing of theends against the cable. The securing member 18 is held tightly inposition over the cable 16 by studs 24 and 26 which extend through asquare opening 28 and a slot 30 in the member 18 and oversized openings32 and 34 in the body 12, and are tightly secured to the body 12 by nuts36 and 38 respectively. The slot 30 is provided for the stud 26 in orderto facilitate easy disconnection of the securing member 18 for removalof the cable 16.

In accordance with the invention, each of the branch cable connectingportions A and C are made identical and the parts are similarlyconstructed and similarly designated. Each of the portions A and Cinclude substantially U-shaped wall 40 defining a cable receivingsocket. A combination cable clamping and formingmandrel piece generallydesignated 42 is normally positioned to close the top of the socketformed by the U- shaped walls 40.

The combination cable clamping forming-mandrel piece 42 includes asubstantially U-shaped top wall 44 which is notched in the centralportion as at 46 to permit centering of the piece within the walls 40 onupstanding guide and position lips 48, 48, formed at each end of thebody 12.

The cable forming and clamping piece 42 is provided with a substantiallyU-shaped flange or mandrel wall 50 spaced inwardly from the edge of thewall 44 and extending at right angles thereto. The mandrel wall 50 formsa curved surface over which a cable 52 is positioned for forming and forclamping and securing purposes.

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The wall 50 is of the same general contour as the wall 40 but is spacedinwardly therefrom to define a channel for the positioning of the cable52. At the end of the connector 10, the wall 50 converges to definelarge entrance and exit areas 54 to permit cable movement andadjustment. The top wall 44 is provided with a square opening 55 toreceive a stud 56, which extends therethrough and through an opening 58in the body 12, and is secured to the body as by a nut 60 applied over awasher '62. A compression spring 64 is biased between the inside of thewall 44 and the inner wall of the body 12.

In order to position a cable within either of the cable forming andpositioning portions A or C, the nut 60 is loosened sufiiciently tocause the wall 44 to extend outwardly clear of the body 12 under theurging of the spring 64. The cable 52 is then positioned with its freeend wedged against the adjacent ends of walls 40 and 56 respectively.With the cable end thus wedged, the cable is bent to conform to thecontour of the U-shaped walls 40 and 50 until the opposite end of thecable lies adjacent the opposite end of the wall 50. The nut 60 is thentightened on the stud 56 to bring the wall 44 downwardly on the cable 52and tightly hold it in position in the body piece 12.

Thus, the invention provides a connector which permits the easy formingof the end of branch cables for connection and clamping to a mainconductor. The connector provides a high-strength cable clamping meansas Well as an easy tool for the forming of the ends of a cable into aU-shape. The connector may be constructed for use as a cross connector,a T-connector, a parallel connector or even an end to end connector byproper positioning of the portions A, B and C.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

3 Iclaim: 1. An electrical connector comprising a body member having acavity defined in a face thereof and including a substantially U-shapedupstanding outer wall at the nal axis to conform to said channel, andsecuring means for positioning said clamping member in relation to saidbody member.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said securingmeans includes resilient means biasing said clamp away from said body.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said securingmeans includes a compression spring biased between said body and saidclamp.

4. An electrical connector comprising a body portion having a centralcable receiving groove extending thereacross, means to clamp a cable inposition in said groove across said body portion, a substantiallyU-shaped cable confining wall at one end of said body portion, a clamphaving a wall of the same configuration as said U-shaped wall adapted tofit within said U-shaped portion with the wall thereof spaced from saidU-shaped cable confining wall whereby to define a cable confiningchannel between the inner portion of said U-shaped portion and saidclamp, said U-shaped cable confining wall and said clamp wall forming amandrel-like clamp for bending the cable to conform to said channel, theends of said clamp and said U-shaped cable confining wall definingspaced openings whereby to permit a cable to be bent to theconfiguration of said cable confining channel and positioned thereinwith each end extending through respective openings, and means totightly secure said clamp to said body whereby to secure a cable withinsaid cable confining channel.

5. An electrical connector according to claim 4 having at least twoU-shaped end walls and associated clamps.

6. An electrical connector according to claim 4 wherein said U-shapedend walls are arranged one at each end of said body and each is providedwith a complementary clamp.

7. An electrical connector comprising a body member having a cavitydefined in a face thereof and including a substantially U-shapedoutstanding outer wall at the periphery of said cavity, an outstanding'wall at the edge of said cavity intermediate the open divergent ends ofsaid U-shaped wall, a clamping member of substantially the same size andconfiguration as said cavity fitting inside said U-shaped wall andsubstantially closing said cavity with the exception of spaced openingson each side of said outstanding wall, said clamp including an innerwall substantially parallel to said body member outer wall and spacedtherefrom to define a channel for a cable therebetween, said inner andouter walls forming a mandrel-like clamp for bending a cable along thecables longitudinal axis to conform to said channel, and securing meansfor positioning said clamping member in relation to said body member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS278,882 Chase June 5, 1883 1,004,890 Michitsch Oct. 3, 1911 1,699,211Rose Jan. 15, 1929 1,758,948 Helm May 20, 1930 1,807,462 Zehnder May 26,1931 1,945,575 Sumpter Feb. 6, 1934 1,948,838 Bash Feb. 27, 19341,999,045 Goetz Apr. 23, 1935 2,151,674 Adam et al. Mar. 28, 19392,359,632 Eales Oct. 3, 1944 2,564,340 Osborne Aug. 14, 1951 2,805,877Ashley Sept. 10, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 903,458 France Oct. 5, 1945 OTHERREFERENCES Dossert Mfg. Corp. advertisement, page 6, Electrical World,July 25, 1955. (Copy in Division 20.)

